NetVault-pgsql Service Fails to Start After Unexpected Server Shutdown (4376682)

NetVault-pgsql Service Fails to Start After Unexpected Server Shutdown

Users have reported that the NetVault PostgreSQL database service fails to start after unexpected server shutdowns. Upon attempting to start the service, an error message is displayed stating, "The NetVault PostgreSQL database server service on Local Computer started and then stopped." PostgreSQL logs indicate errors such as "invalid primary checkpoint record" and "could not locate a valid checkpoint record," suggesting that the database system was improperly shut down during recovery, preventing the service from remaining active. 

The issue is caused by unexpected shutdowns of the PostgreSQL database service, which disrupt the normal recovery process. The PostgreSQL logs, typically found at `C:\Program Files\Quest\NetVault\db\pgsql\log`, show errors such as "invalid primary checkpoint record" and "could not locate a valid checkpoint record." In PostgreSQL, a checkpoint is a critical event that writes all in-memory data to disk, ensuring the database can recover to a consistent state after a crash. When a valid checkpoint cannot be located, it indicates that the database cannot determine a safe recovery point, leading to a panic state where the service shuts down to prevent data corruption.

To resolve the issue, you will need to reset the Write-Ahead Log (WAL) for PostgreSQL. The following command can be used to perform the reset:
 

pg_resetwal -D "C:\Program Files\Quest\NetVault\db\pgsql" -f

**Warning**: Resetting the Write-Ahead Log may cause data loss. Only proceed if you are certain that this is necessary and that all other troubleshooting steps have been exhausted. 

Steps:
1. Open a command prompt and navigate to the PostgreSQL binary directory:  

cd "C:\Program Files\Quest\NetVault\pgsql\bin"

2. Run the `pg_resetwal` command as shown above.
3. After the Write-Ahead Log has been reset, attempt to start the `netvault-pgsql` service again.
4. Additionally, start the NetVault Process Manager service to ensure that the issue has been resolved.

If the services do not start successfully, you may need to re-install NetVault and restore a good backup of the NetVault databases.